"Calin, it's very simple." The director approached, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"You need to reach the top just as the sun rises. Pose, smile like you've conquered something… you know the drill. Show a bit of struggle during the climb, then trust and reliance on your gear. You've trained beforehand, so I don't need to coach you."
Calin nodded reluctantly, eyeing the cliff. It wasn't particularly high, but it wasn't forgiving either.
"Can't I just go straight to the top and have a double do the climbing?"
"No. The climb is the most important part," the director said firmly. "Don't worry. It's completely safe. The team has scouted the entire area and double-checked everything, especially your harness."
Reassured… or at least outnumbered, Calin began the climb.
She didn't need to pretend to struggle, her arms strained, her breath grew uneven, and the sight of insects crawling far too close for comfort made her skin crawl.
Every inch upward felt like negotiating with gravity and her own patience.
Then a sharp hissing sound cut through the air.
Calin froze, her heart lurched into her throat as panic surged. She screamed, her grip faltering.
In the next second, she slipped, the harness catching her as she dangled midair.
"Cut!" the director shouted.
Before she could be lowered safely- snap.
The sound was small and the harness gave way.
Calin slammed against the cliff, the impact knocking the breath out of her before she dropped to the ground below.
"Ahhh! My arm- it hurts! I think I broke my arm!" she cried out, her voice cracking with pain.
The set exploded into chaos.
Crew members rushed toward her, voices overlapping, panic spreading like wildfire.
"There was a damn snake!" Calin shouted, fury slicing through her pain. "I thought you said the area was cleared! Why is there a snake?!"
"What is going on?" the director demanded, his face darkening. "Where is the scouting team? And how did she fall?!"
Someone who had checked the equipment leaned in, lowering their voice. "It looks like… someone tampered with the harness."
They showed the cut in the strap.
The director's anger ignited instantly, barking orders and accusations.
"I remember seeing a tall, handsome guy in a black hoodie," one staff member said hesitantly. "He claimed he was part of the scouting team and was checking the equipment."
"That's impossible," the head of scouting snapped. "There's no such person on our team and a snake? We took precautions. We even scattered anti-snake powder across the area."
"I said there was a snake, you idiot! Are you calling me a liar?" Calin lashed out, seething as she was carefully laid onto a stretcher.
The head of scouting fell silent, though doubt still flickered across his face.
The air on set had shifted.
What was supposed to be a pristine sunrise shoot now felt like a stage where something unseen had rewritten the script.
Filming was halted as sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder until the ambulance arrived.
----
"I want to sue the entire production team! This is negligence! I could've died in there!" Calin kept shouting as she was admitted to the hospital.
"You'll need a week or two to heal your arm. I already spoke to the client. They couldn't wait that long, so they've decided to compensate you and find another endorser," the manager said, ignoring her complaints.
Calin's eyes widened in disbelief as she nearly jumped off the hospital bed.
"Replace me? They want to replace me? Are they insane? Is there any model out there who could do better than me?"
"Don't worry, the compensation is substantial. I've discussed it with the company, and they've agreed to the arrangement," the manager replied calmly.
Calin was far from appeased.
She continued arguing, demanding to speak with Saeki Jie, otherwise threatening to terminate her contract and move to another company.
The manager looked at her like she was a walking headache and let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Calin Ricci, listen to me. I've handled many talents and made them famous and successful. I've dealt with arrogance, spoiled attitudes, and rudeness, but I've never met anyone so eager to ruin their own career," he said, finally losing patience. "Manager Lyn must have been a saint to put up with you for years. You're extremely picky with your projects, yet when it's time for contract signings or filming, you're either late or absent. You complain constantly, bully your coworkers, and even offend clients. Honestly, I'm surprised you've made it this far. If you want to terminate your contract, I won't stop you. In fact, the CEO might even celebrate. You're lucky to be with SJ Entertainment. They protect their artists no matter how intolerable they are."
Calin was stunned. No one had ever spoken to her like that, let alone pointed out her flaws so directly.
"Where are you going?" she asked when she saw him about to leave.
"I'm your manager, not your nanny. Since you're staying here tonight, it's no longer a business matter," he replied.
"What about what happened to me earlier? Are you just going to overlook that?"
"It's still under investigation. The company will update you," the manager said before leaving, no longer entertaining her outbursts.
"You actually scolded me? I'm going to request a new manager, do you understand?!" Calin shouted, but the hallway remained silent.
Furious and alone, Calin felt the weight of her situation. Her mother was out of town, her father was disabled, and Sergei… well, he still ignored her.
With no other choice, she called home and asked a maid to come to the hospital.
Exhausted from waking up before sunrise for filming, she soon drifted into sleep.
She didn't know how much time had passed when a faint rustling sound woke her.
It was still daylight outside as she checked her watch. Just past 2 p.m.
Hissssss…
Calin frowned. What was that? Was she so shaken that she was imagining things?
Hisssss…
"Fuck," she muttered, reaching for the call button only to freeze as she felt something crawl across her legs.
Cold terror flooded her veins, her heart slammed violently against her ribs.
With a sharp motion, she yanked the blanket aside and screamed.
Cockroaches swarmed across the sheets. Insects crawled in every direction. And among them, small snakes slithered lazily, their bodies weaving through the chaos.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Her scream tore through the entire floor as she scrambled, kicking and clawing at anything that touched her.
She tumbled off the bed, panic consuming her completely.
By the time the medical staff handled the situation and transferred her to another room, Calin was still shaking, unable to calm down. She accused everyone around her of trying to harm her.
"Miss Ricci, apart from the insects, the snakes are actually non-venomous-"
"And I'm supposed to feel better because of that?!" Calin snapped, her voice already hoarse. "This is Neri Medical Hospital! How could your standards drop this low? Are the Neris going bankrupt? I told you to investigate, not reassure me that they're harmless! You bitch!"
The nurse bit her lip, eyes brimming with tears, and quietly left.
One nurse after another tried to console her, only to be met with harsh insults. Even the maid who had rushed over was slapped repeatedly for arriving late.
"Calin Ricci," Zahn muttered.
Calin froze mid-outburst and glared at him. "Did you hear what happened, or do I need to repeat myself?!"
Zahn walked in lazily, his tone indifferent.
"Security is reviewing the CCTV. I can assure you, the hospital doesn't have a hobby of breeding insects."
Calin's chest rose and fell rapidly. "So I'm supposed to feel reassured now that you're here? I remember Yeri almost had an incident here too. So much for calling this the top hospital."
Zahn remained unprovoked. "Unfortunately, we're a hospital, not a military base. No matter how tight security is, visitors of other VIP patients can still move around this floor."
"So you're saying it was a VIP visitor? Then how did they get through security carrying insects and snakes?!"
Knock. Knock.
Both turned toward the door as Bryce Gate entered, carrying a basket of fruit and a large bouquet of flowers.
Earlier, feeling cornered and abandoned, Calin had reluctantly contacted him despite their unstable relationship.
"I heard what happened. How are you feeling now?" Bryce asked.
Calin burst into tears, relief washing over her as she clung to him.
Zahn frowned slightly and turned to leave.
"Can we talk?" Bryce called.
Zahn paused, then nodded. The two stepped outside.
----
"We'll take this matter seriously and ensure your fiancée's safety from now on," Zahn said flatly.
Bryce nodded, then casually shifted the topic. "Look, I know you're upset about Vanessa, but believe it or not, I have nothing to do with the Songs- "
"It's just the two of us. Drop the act," Zahn cut in coldly. "Whatever issue you have with Shin Keir, don't drag me into it. As for the Songs, tell them they can stay delusional. The Neri family's assets aren't going anywhere."
Bryce chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I thought you were smart, but your prejudice is showing. Yes, I have business dealings with the Songs, but it has nothing to do with targeting your family. Or are you that loyal to Shin Keir? Just because he says something, you follow him like he's omnipotent?"
Zahn remained silent, clearly uninterested in prolonging the conversation.
"If you don't want to know more about your fiancée, I'll take my leave. But you might want to investigate who she offended this time," Zahn said, turning away.
"Did you know Saeki Jie has been visiting your villa quite often? Sometimes your son even goes over to his place to play with his dog…" Bryce said, his tone laced with curiosity. "He has that kind of personality and sense of humor that draws women in without them even realizing it. Before they know it, they've already fallen hard."
Zahn turned back, sneering. "Are you done? In case you haven't looked into me, I studied psychology. I know exactly what you're trying to achieve."
Bryce laughed softly. "If that's the case, then it explains why you're uneasy, doesn't it? You keep convincing yourself… 'It's fine. Saeki Jie isn't as charismatic as Tristan Felan. He's childish, ridiculous… there's no way Lianna would fall for someone like him.'"
Zahn said nothing.